Thought Id re-do this thread again. Anyway I made some improvements.. so go ahead and skim through the changes Ive made.

I need to mention this.. but uh yea.. if you're not interested, keep yourself outta here. We don't need any nonsense that is regarding something else. Whatever's unneccessary.. isn't needed. Just come here to learn Korean.

Alright well.. if you're fluent in speaking Korean. Then yea.. i think it would be great if u guys joined in to help others.

May this be hard or easy to understand, good luck. Ask questions.

Anyway if i made any mistakes.. let me know. I'm not very fluent in speaking Korean either + I speak mostly saturi with everything else put together -- english n' the seoul dialect. i was born in the states, so no sh*tz. lol. Good luck. I tried my best to make this understanding n' formal as possible for everyone. it may not be perfect. but oh well. point them out to me and i'll fix the errors. Good luck =)

ㅎ + ㅏ + ㄴ = 한 han

ㄱ + ㅜ + ㄱ = 국 guk

= 한국 > hanguk > Korean

Indigenous Korean writing system. This system was called hungmin chongum (meaning "correct sounds for instructing the people") when it was invented in the mid-fifteenth century but became known as Hangul after 1913. It is a phonetic writing system.

When first proclaimed by King Sejong, Hunmin chong-um had 28 letters in all, of which only 24 are in use today. The 24 letters are as follows.

Something I copied and pasted from another forum, I thought it would be really important for you guys to know before speaking Korean. Anyway, thanks to the person who shared this.

Looking through the forum, I realized that many people are not sure about honorifics - that is, a class of forms used to show respect. Generally speaking, Korean has two modes of speaking - formal (존대말) and informal (반대말). You must use formal mode with:

1. People superior to you with respect to legal, civic, or business authority. Cops, civil servants, and company superiors fall into this category. Generally speaking, age has no significance when power is involved. A 50-year old working for a 20-year old must still use 존대말, but the 20-year old doesn't have to.

2. People who appear to be around your age or older. It is *extremely* rude to use 반대말 with strangers unless they are obviously much younger than you. Be careful, because 반대말 is often used in Korea to deliberately provoke people! Err on the side of caution and use 존대말 when you are not sure. They might laugh at you, but at least they won't throw a punch in your face.

3. With your familiar elders - such as parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. - when you are out in public. If you are a very young kid, 반대말 is tolerated. And in private, 반대말 is typically used. But in public, you must show honor and respect toward your elders by using 존대말. I can't emphasize enough how important honor and respect are for Koreans - these are the cornerstones of Korean culture.

Whichever mode you choose, make sure that all your pronouns, objects, and verbs are in the same mode. It is considered poor form to mix and match different modes within the same sentence or the same piece of writing.

A very good question, Styopa. Indeed, figuring out when to use 반대말 versus 존대말 with a person about your age is not so straightforward. But, don't despair, there is a protocol on this

What you do is use 존대말 until both of you agree to use 반대말. How soon this point comes depends on many factors like age, familiarity, and comfort level. But be prepared to be rejected when you suggest using 반대말. Unless the person feels very comfortable with you, he may not say yes, because 반대말 represents a significant leap in the friendship.

English translation: Al: Good morning! Steve: Did you sleep well? Al: Yes, I slept well. By the way, how old are you? Steve: I'm twenty five. Al: Ah, you're the same age as me! Steve: Then we can drop the honorific. Al: Sure, let's stop. (awkward silence...) Steve: Man, it's strange trying to speak 반대말 after using 존대말. Al: It's just for now. It'll be ok later.

As for using Korean with members of KO... I would stick with 존대말 unless you become their close friend or lover

QUOTE

This is an excellent question! As you mentioned, 당신 is rarely used face to face, especially with strangers. Instead, Koreans use titles which take the place of "you".

Addressing males older than you

할아버지 [Harabuji] (formal): IF the man is obviously a senior citizen.

아저씨 [Ajushi] (formal): IF you are a boy/girl or a young man/woman, and you are addressing an older man who doesn't look like a senior citizen.

Addressing females older than you

할머니 [Harmuni] (formal): IF the woman is obviously a senior citizen.

아줌마 [Ajumma] (formal): IF you are a boy/girl or a young man/woman, and you are addressing an older woman who doesn't look like a senior citizen but could be someone's mother. Be careful with this title!!! Women will take offense at being called 아줌마, especially if they look young for their age, if they are single, if they don't have children, etc. (See below for alternatives.)

Addressing males younger than you

청년 [Cheong-nyun] (informal/formal): Used by older people (I would say middle-age or older) to address a young man, someone who looks twenty-something. I marked its usage as informal/formal because some older people use formal speech even with much younger people, especially if they are strangers. Keep in mind that using 반대말 with a stranger is generally considered rude. Unless you are talking to a boy/girl, always use 존대말 with strangers.

너 [Nuh] (informal): If the person is a young boy.

Addressing females younger than you

아가씨 [Agasshi] (formal): Used by older people to address a young woman, someone who looks twenty something. Unlike 청년, 아가씨 is always used in formal tone. If the woman looks young, you will definitely want to use this one even if she has quintuplets. (She will feel flattered.) Calling a young woman 아줌마 instead of 아가씨 is a major faux pas! It's somewhat like calling her "Ma'am" instead of "Miss" but far, far worse. My brother once made this mistake and the woman was fuming!!

너 [Nuh] (informal): If the person is a young girl.

If you can't figure out which title to use

Then don't use any title... Korean can be spoken without pronouns, so just do so. You could say "여기 지갑 떨어졌어요 [Yeogi jikap ddeureo-jyeossuyo - You dropped your wallet/purse]" or "이 지갑 떨어졌네요 [i jikap ddeureo-jyeoneyo - You dropped your wallet/purse]" in their direction, and they will most likely turn around and realize you are talking to them. Another alternative is to call their attention first by saying "여기 보세요 [Yeuki boseyo - Excuse me/look here]" but not many people do this.

Just remember that native Koreans typically speak without using direct pronouns:

Insisting on pronouns is one of the things that give away a non-native Korean speaker, so you will want to leave them out as much as possible. This is not only limited to Korean. Portuguese, for example, does something similar:

Sou americano. [(I) am American]

Fundamentals of Basic Korean

-----------------------------------

Remember the alphabet/vowels/consonants.. you pronounce it in a normal manner like the English alphabet. There is no unique or special click/pronounciation to it, at all. So don't ask me anymore, just keep that in mind & you'll be okay.

You should remember this because meeting anyone around your age or older in Korea, you have to use polite ending-words to show respect, but that can be changed once the other person feels comfortable knowing you (Bandaemal informal-use) & becomes your new friend. As for elders (or basically anyone older), you have to use the polite endings regardless.

(1) Vertical VowelsThere are nine "vertical vowels". When writing a vertical vowel without a preceding consonant, an "ㅇ" must be added. This initial consonant "ㅇ" is written to the left of the vowel.

아 야 어 여 이 에 애 예 얘

(2) Horizontal VowelsThere are also five "horizontal vowels". With a horizontal vowel, the initial consonant is written above the vowel.

오 요 우 유 으

(3) Combinations of Vertical and Horizontal VowelsThere are seven diphthongs, which are combinations of vertical and horizontal vowels. The rule of the initial consonant is still applicable. Therefore, the initial consonant "ㅇ" must appear to the left of hte vertical and above the horizontal vowel.

와 워 외 위 왜 웨 의

Consonant Graphemes

The consonants of the Hangul alphabet were designed so their shapes would reflect the place and manner of articulation. For example, the shapes of the 5 consonants reflect the 5 different methods of articulation.

In Korean, the consonant is always pronounced in combination with a vowel, with the exception of the "ㅇ" as the initial consonant. Each consonant has it's own individual sound and "name". The name of the consonant also reflects the sound made by that consonant when spoken. For instance, the name of this symbol "ㄱ" is kiyeok and it's sound is similar to the English "k".

The sound produced by a double consonant is sharper than that of the single. The name of a double consonant is simply the name of the single consonant with 'ssang' attached to the name of the single consonant. For instance, the name of the character "ㄲ" is ssang-kiyeok.

The pronunciation of the double consonants, what you do is double the sounds together by making it a more thicker/punchier sound. For example, 'ㅃ' (pp, bb) it's like when someone says "But!". You put a little more pressure into it than just the single 'ㅂ' (b, p) sound.

The letters are grouped into syllable blocks containing an initial consonant (which may be silent or double), one or two vowels (below or to the right), and sometimes a final consonant (below).

The basic letters of the alphabet when Hunmin chong-um was first created numbered eight; they were the consonants "ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ, ㅁ, ㅇ" and the vowels "ㅡ, ㅣ"

The reason consonants and vowels were separated was due to their differing functions when two letters were combined to form a syllable. Hunmin chong-um is basically a form of hieroglyph. Consonants, the initial sound letters, resemble a person's speech organs. The shape of each letter is based on the form of different sound articulation units. Other consonants, excluding by adding additional strokes to the basic forms, based on the strength of the sounds.

ㄱ [기역  Kiyeok]: To pronounce this letter, part of the tongue touches the molar teeth and sticks near the uvula. The shape of the letter is based on the lateral form of this process.

ㄴ [니은  Nieun]: To pronounce this letter, the front of the tongue curves and the tip of the tongue sticks to the upper gums. The shape of the letter is based on the lateral form of this process.

ㅁ [미음  Mieum]: To pronounce this letter, upper and lower lips are joined. The shape of the letter is based on the form of the joined lips.

ㅅ [시옷  Siot]: To pronounce this letter, the tip of the tongue and the upper teeth are brought close together, and sound is created by blowing through the narrowed passage. The shape of the letter is based on the form of the teeth during the process.

As the above example clearly show, Hangul. With only 14 consonants and 10 vowels, is capable of expressing virtually any sound.

The Korean language has a well-developed and expansive vocabulary, and therefore, it is very difficult to express fully in foreign letter. However, due to its scientific design, it is quite easy to approximate the sounds of foreign words in the Korean alphabet. Following are some examples of English words expressed in Hangul.

In particular, because of its simplicity and the rather small number of letters, Hangul is very easy to learn even for children and foreigners.

It is no coincidence that by the time they reach the ages of two or three, most Korean children are already capable of expressing their feelings and thoughts, albeit in primitive form. By the time they reach school age, most exhibit mastery of Hangul, which is indeed a rare phenomenon throughout the world. This fact clearly attests to the easy learn-ability and accessibility of the Korean alphabet.

Throughout history, Hangul has been at the root of the Korean culture, helping to preserve its national identity and independence.

Literacy is virtually nonexistent in Korea. This is another fact that attests to the easy learn-ability of Hangul. It is not uncommon for a foreigner to gain a working knowledge of Hangul after one or two hours of intensive studying. In addition, because of its scientific design, Hangul lends itself to easy mechanization.

Use of Consonants & Vowels

Vowels in the Korean languages may be attached to the left, right or beneath each other in order to form a word; the following are examples of their use:

When constructing a word, you must add a mixture of consonants and vowels, beginning with the consonant at the beginning of the word. In some cases, there is no need to use a consonant at the beginning in which case ㅇ (null character) is used.

Ive seen these kinds of mistakes many times and I remember I made those mistakes too. But after understanding it better, you could shorten the Romanization and make it blend in together, like this:

Baro ittae han yeojaka dabangeuro deuleowatda

That blends in better, right? And its easier to read w/ it sounding just about right.. as though you were reading it in Korean.

And this is also the many ways you could learn and understand Korean w/ pronunciation by trying to Romanize them. The idea just clicked in my head, but yeah.. I think it would work. Just get a list of Korean words and Romanize them into English. Then level yourself up, when you get a better understanding of it by using no Romanization at all.

Here's a sample, using the consonants & vowels:

Hello  안녕하세요 [Ahn + Nyoung + Ha + Seh + Yo =Annyounghaseyo]

안 [o (Silent, because its on top) + ㅏ (Ah) + ㄴ(N) = 안 (Ahn)]

녕 [ㄴ(N) + ㅕ(Yuh) + ㅇ(Ng, has a sound because it's on the bottom) = 녕 (Nyoung, pronouncing it's like saying young but with an 'n' in the beginning)]

보냈어 [보 (Bo, like bonafide ) + 냈 (Nae, carry the ㅆ to 어 replacing the ㅇ ) + 어 (Ssuh, since you replaced the ㅇ with a ㅆ. Why? Because the ㅇ is voiceless and ㅆ is a double consonant. Its just how Korean reading flows, word to word. ) = 보냈어 (Bonaessuh)]

More on constructing words

A syllable that consists of a consonant and a "vertical vowel" is written with the consonant on the left and the vowel on the rightㄴ + ㅏ = 나n + ah = na

A syllable that consists of a consonant and a "horizontal vowel" is written with the consonant on top and the vowel underneath:ㅁ + ㅗ = 모m + oh = mo

If a syllable has a consonant, vowel, and consonant, the final consonant, called patch'im (meaning "supporting floor" in Korean) goes to the bottom -- or floor -- of that syllable. ㅁ + ㅏ + ㄴ = 만m + ah + n = man

Friends one question.Is Ajumma the right and correct way to address a young and beautiful girl.Each time I call the young girl working at the cyber cafe I've been coming regularly for 6 months now "AJUMMA" her facial muscles stiffen a bit.

people say that reading comics is a good way to learn a foreign language. any manhwa that you can recommend for beginners like me? i would appreciate it if you could post a download link here, too.. thanks.

I can't read Korean hangul etc. so I have to read Romanized Korean. I find it difficult since some words don't sound like how they are spelled. Unlike Japanese, where you can pretty much read words in romaji and you can sound out the word as how Japanese people say their words.

so what I want to know is,

can someone put up a link where I can hear audio clips of counting numbers in Korean to either 10 or 20??? I need to know how to count in Korean a little bit (for Taekwondo). And I wanna pronounce it right like how Koreans would say it. I like to imitate native speakers when speaking other languages so pronounciation is at my best lol. I've tried googling for audio clips of Korean numbers but there's nothing, unlike when I was looking for Japanese language $hit online, there's tons o stuff! So anyone have links to audio lessons etc. please post them up! Thanks!

I might actually try to learn a little bit of Korean from here on too. Just for Taekwondo lol.

1- il (like eel, but quicker and sharper. il)2- e (like the letter e)3- sam (sahm)4- sa (sah, like ahhh with an s in the front)5- oh (just like in english, but quicker and sharper)6- yuk (yook)7- chil (cheel, except quicker and sharper)8- pal (pahl, sorta... this one is hard because of the weird r/l letter in korea. pahl is the best i can do for u)9- gu (like goo, but quicker and sharper. gu)10- ship (like sheep, but quicker and sharper)

just think of the letter i as the same in spanish. it's pronounced as "e"

1- il (like eel, but quicker and sharper. il)2- e (like the letter e)3- sam (sahm)4- sa (sah, like ahhh with an s in the front)5- oh (just like in english, but quicker and sharper)6- yuk (yook)7- chil (cheel, except quicker and sharper)8- pal (pahl, sorta... this one is hard because of the weird r/l letter in korea. pahl is the best i can do for u)9- gu (like goo, but quicker and sharper. gu)10- ship (like sheep, but quicker and sharper)

just think of the letter i as the same in spanish. it's pronounced as "e"

Thanks lol , I dunno the difference, I dont anything about Korean language.....but in Taekwondo, we go by...

Can someone please show me how to say this phrase in Korean and include the hangul for it too? I'm able to pronounce it better sounding out the hangul writing than the Romanized Korean. Thanks so much.

Can someone please show me how to say this phrase in Korean and include the hangul for it too? I'm able to pronounce it better sounding out the hangul writing than the Romanized Korean. Thanks so much.